Differential shaft drive for speedometers and the like



HAGEMW K4,?923. w. H. scHULZE DIFFERENTIAL sum DRIVE FOR SPEEDOMETERS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19. 1922 Aug. 14, 1923. W. H. SCHULZE DIFFERENTIAL SHAFT DRIVE FOR SPEEDOMETERS AND THE LIKE Filed July 19, 1922 2 Sheets-ShQet 13 Patented Aug; 14, 1923.

WILLIAM H. SCI-IULZE,' or CHICAGO, learners, ASSIGNOB 'ro srnnnomnrnn CORPORATION, or enrcaeo, ILLINQIS, A

VIRGINIA.

DIFFERENTIAL SHAFT DRIVE F0155 sPEEDOMETE'f-is. ANS

Application filed Jui 18,

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern." Y

Be itlgnown that I, TILLIAM H. SCHULZL'. a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Differential Shaft Drives ZEOP'SPGEClOD'lGtQIS and the like, of which the following is, a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming apart thereof, i

The purposeof this invention is to providean improved construction for driving a travel-indicating instrument, as a speedometer, .odometer, and the like, from a differential-drivenshaft of the vehicle drive train in which the rear wheels are driven by gear or chain connection with the differ- 'ential driven shafts, respectively. It consists in the elements. and features of construction shown and described, as indicated in the claims.

r In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view,

showing the chassis of a. motor truck equipped with thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

I Figure 3 is a; detail section at the line,

33,-on Figures 1, and 2 on an enlarged scale.

Figured is a sectionat the line,4i, on Figure 3. a 7 V Q r V Figure 5 is a detail top' plan view ofthe flexible gear joint employed in the drive connection, partly sectional at two planes, 5-5, and 5- 5, on'Figure 3. V

The drawings show a familiar type of motor truck chassis, in which the frame, A, is carried onrear drive wheels, F, F, which are driven respectively by drive .chains, E, E, from sprocket pinions, C, C, on the outer end of the differential-driven transverse shaft, B, B, in alignment with each other from the differential indicated by the casing, D, the sprockets, C, C, being on the outside of the longitudinal frame bars, past which the shafts, B, B, extend below said frame bars, which support the differential casing and the shaft casings which afford the j ournal bearings for said differential-driven shafts, in the familiar or usual manner not shown. The sprocket wheels, C, C, are customarily fasten the ends of the two driven shafts, B, B, fitting and secured on reduced CORPUBATIGN OF THE LIKE.

1922. Serial No. 576,113.

end portions of said shafts, respectively, whose reduced ends are each exteriorly threaded to receive a clamping nut securing the sprocket wheel. For the purpose of the present invention there is substituted. for this clamping nut a special nut, C having extension, 0 adapted for driving engagement with a shaft to be provided in a fitting containing connections for driving engagement with flexible shaft to be. extended to the indicatinginstrument. The fitting referred to is of the general character of a swivel gear joint, so-called, the same being a gear housing comprising two members, J and K, which are swiveled together about the axis of an intermediate shaft j ournaled therein, as hereinafter described, said two members, J and K, terminating respectively in journal bearings, 5, and K for the in-leading and out-leading shafts, M and 0, respectively, intermediate with which, coincident with the swivel axis of the two members of the housing there is journaled a" third shaft, N, which is driven by the shaft, M; by means of intermeshing spiral gears, M and N on said shafts, M and N, respectively, and which drives the shaft, 6, by interm'eshing gears, N and O on said shafts, N and 0, respectively. The construction of this swivel gear housing or joint is familiar and need not be further described. The journal bearing, J for the shaft, M, is exteriorly cylindrical ant adapted to be held in a split bearing or seat, P formed at the lower-end of a bracket, P, which is rigidly mounted upon the side bar, A, of the chassis frame and depends outwardly therefrom into alignment with the shaft of the sprocket wheel, C. The bearing, J of suiliciently greater length than the axial width of the clamp seat, P ofthe bracket, P, to permit some adjustment of the housing longitudinally of said journal bearing for properly engaging the end of the shaft, M, which protrudes from said bearing with the coupling nut, C said protruding end of said shaft, M, being provided with a suitable projection, m, for engaging the cross slot, 0 of said coupling, C At the same time it will be observed that the entire housing, J, K, can be adjusted angularly about the axis of the journal bearing, J in said clamp seat, P and secured at any angular adsrnwanr-wennnn nut, p

justment therein by tightening the clamp ing, J of the part, J, of the housing in which the shaft, 0, is journaled. is exteriorly threaded for engagement with the casing of the-flexible shaft. T; and the shaft, 0, journaled in said bearin J is suitably terminated for driving engagement with the rotary shaft member of said flexible shaft, T, as seen at 0 in Figure 5.

Upon considering the structure above described, it; will be understood that the housing, K, being adjustable angularly at its securement in the clamp seat, P of the bracket, P, further accommodates itself to the trend of the flexible shaft, '1, by swiveling of the two housing members about the axis of the shaft, N, thereby permitting the flexible shaft, T, to extend in the most desirable and least movement-impairing direction and course to the indicating instrument, W, mounted in whatever position may be found most convenient upon the' vehicle.

I claim 2- 1. In a motor vehicle, in combination with a rear wheel drive chain, comprising a transverse power shaft from the differential, and a sprocket thereon outside the frame, a bracket depending outwardly from the foreand-aft frame bar, having at its lower end, means alinged with said power shaft for holding a shaft bearing; a gear housing comprising two members swiveled together, and intermeshing gears therein with their driven and driving shafts, respectively, protruding from the respective members of the housing; a coupling member fast on the protruding end of the sprocket-carrying shaft, engaging the iii-leading or driven shaft of the housing, and a flexible shaft having its casing and rotary shaft members, respectively, operatively coupled to the other housing member and to the other shaft protruding therefrom.

2. In a motor vehicle, in combination with a rear wheel chain drive, comprising a transverse power shaft from the differential and a sprocket thereon outside the frame,

a bracket depending outwardly from the fore-and-aft frame bar, having at its lower end a terminal suitable for holding ashaft bearing; a gear housing comprising two The extremity of the journal bearing adapted respectively for couplingto the rotary shaft'member and to the casing of the flexible shaft.

3Q In combination with a motor truck having a differential mechanism and two aligned shafts driven therethrough and extending respectively to opposite side of the frame for driving connection to the rear driving wheels,respectively, a travel indicator drive connection removably mounted on the outer side of the frame memberin which the outer end of one of said differential drive shafts is carried, and Shaft coupling means for engaging the in-leading shaft of said drive commission with the outer end of said differential-driven shaft.

4. In a motor vehicle having a transverse power shaft from the differential of the motor carrying-and-traction wheel driving train, and a power communicating wheel at the outer end of said shaft from which the traction wheel is driven, said powercommunicating wheel being secured on said shaft a nut on the end of'the shaft, said nut being a cap nut and constructed at its outer end for coupling by endwise advance of a coupling member there-toward, in comof July, 1922.

WILLIAM H. SCHULZE 

